Arrow Video - Dawn Of The Dead Blu-ray - Page 36

Angel · #**351** 18th October 2009, 06:24 AM

In 1997 nearly 20 years later they were still cutting it.

Splatterdragon73 · #**352** 18th October 2009, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Strange

Love the artwork, too (especially the gas-mask cover).

I agree (as do many here on this subject i believe) that the gas-mask design is certainly one of the standout covers of this release.
But all the artwork approved for Arrow's Dawn Blu-Ray is fine by me in one way or another.

Rob Strange · #**353** 18th October 2009, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vincenzo

Yes it was a real BBFC problem film back then. I first saw the heavily cut (almost 4 mins) cinema print (a double bill with The Brood) and the cuts were painfully obvious. The video was then cut by a further 12 secs (additional cuts to gunshots). Crazy really.

I may be wrong, but I remember the first version I rented on video including the scene where Peter blasts the zombie kids (may have been trimmed). Then the video I bought had the scene removed. Actually, it was a Christmas present. Did Ferman's BBFC have no sense of festive cheer?

I wonder if I watched some evil forbidden bootleg?

Btw, you speak great wisdom Splatterdragon73!

vincenzo · #**354** 18th October 2009, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Strange

I may be wrong, but I remember the first version I rented on video including the scene where Peter blasts the zombie kids (may have been trimmed). Then the video I bought had the scene removed. Actually, it was a Christmas present. Did Ferman's BBFC have no sense of festive cheer?

Ferman had no sense of cheer, period. The scene was also cut in 1997 when most (bar two) of the old cinema cuts had been restored. It wasn't passed uncut until 2003.

Interesting BBFC case study of the film here.

Rob Strange · #**355** 18th October 2009, 01:05 PM

This bit from the case study is stunning:

"In September 1979 Ferman wrote to the distributor exclaiming that “a tour de force of virtuoso editing has transformed this potential reject from a disgusting and desensitising wallow in the ghoulish details of violence and horror to a strong, but more conventional action piece…The cutting is not only skilful, but creative, and I think it has actually improved a number of the sequences by making the audience notice the emotions of the characters and the horror of the situation instead of being deadened by blood and gore”."

That's part of the problem: Ferman didn't just cut films, he practically considered himself an artist. He once made a similar comment about "improving The Evil Dead" with his scissors. Nowadays, the BBFC are (bar a case or two) doing a pretty good job. Not perfect, but far far better.

vincenzo · #**356** 18th October 2009, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Strange

That's part of the problem: Ferman didn't just cut films, he practically considered himself an artist.

He also extensively re-edited Henry: Portrait Of A Serial Killer for video and smugly suggested that he'd made a better job than the director.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Strange

He once made a similar comment about "improving The Evil Dead" with his scissors.

The cuts to The Evil Dead were just ridiculous. The official cuts list goes on forever (especially for the video) and at times it almost seems like Ferman was cutting for a PG.

Thankfully those days are long gone and films like Dawn can now be seen the way they were intended to be seen.

Vampix · #**357** 18th October 2009, 02:06 PM

I was so p!ssed off with the BBFC's cutting of both Dawn of the Dead and The Evil Dead back in the 90's that I persuaded my parents to buy a new tri-standard tv & vcr and bought the uncut Thorn EMI ntsc tapes of both from the US.Got them both through Customs no problem.Not long after I ordered these I ordered Vestron Video's unrated version of Re-Animator, Day of the Dead (unrated), Doctor Butcher M.D. and the Fangoria Scream Greats Tom Savini documentary.These were stopped by Customs and Doctor Butcher was nabbed, they then sent the other three on to me.